PROGRAM

A YEAR-ROUND LEARNING PROGRAM

200+ students performing at the highest level in Texas and beyond.

THE PROGRAM

OUR ENSEMBLES

Students perform in marching band in the fall and either a concert ensemble or Winter Guard in the spring, building skills across the full spectrum of music and performance.

MARCHING BAND

CONCERT BANDS

JAZZ BANDS

PERCUSSION

EVE/WINTER GUARD

OUR DIRECTORS

LEADERSHIP

THOMAS TURPIN

DIRECTOR OF BANDS

Thomas Turpin has served as Director of Bands at Westlake High School (Eanes ISD) since 2024. Before that, he spent 15 years as Director of Bands at Westwood High School (Round Rock ISD), where he taught the marching band, all four concert ensembles, and all three symphony orchestras, leading each to consistent UIL Sweepstakes ratings. At Westwood, the Wind Ensemble was a TMEA 6A Honor Band Finalist, a Mark of Excellence National Winner, and a performer at the 2023 Midwest Clinic. He also co-conducted the Westwood Symphony Orchestra, which performed at the 2019 Midwest Clinic and was named the 2024 TMEA Honor Full Orchestra. Earlier, he was Assistant Director of Bands at John Paul Stevens High School in San Antonio.

An Alabama native, Mr. Turpin earned his Bachelor's and Master of Arts in Music Education from The University of Alabama, where he served as Section Leader, Drum Major, and Graduate Teaching Assistant of the "Million Dollar Band." He marched with The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps in 2004 and 2005. He is an active drill designer, ensemble clinician, and leadership consultant, and has served TMEA as Region 26 Band Division Chair and Region 26 President.

JOHN PEARSON

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF BANDS

Mr. Pearson, a North Carolina native, earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees at East Carolina University. He served as Director of Bands at Speight Middle School in Wilson, NC (2004-2006), where enrollment nearly doubled and the program formed its first band booster organization.

From 2006 to 2016, he was Director of Bands at Clayton High School, building one of the strongest programs in the state. Accomplishments include six BOA Regional Finalist appearances and WGI Regional and World Championship Finalists and Medalists in both Winter Guard and Concert Percussion. In 2013, the Percussion won the school's first gold medal in Scholastic Concert Open class.

In 2016 he relocated to Texas as Associate Director of Bands at Belton High School, where all four concert bands earned UIL sweepstakes for the first time in 2019 and the Color Guard grew from 18 to 46 members, becoming a two-time TCGC State Finalist in Scholastic A. In 2019 he became Assistant Director of Bands at Dripping Springs High School, leading the Symphonic Band to UIL sweepstakes and doubling the Jazz Orchestra into a second full ensemble for the first time in school history.

Mr. Pearson lives in Buda with his wife, Leigh Anne, their children Brayden and Kensley, and their dog Stella.

BEN ARMENI

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF BANDS

Ben Armeni is a percussion performer, arranger, and educator hailing from Flowery Branch, Georgia. Ben received his undergraduate degree in Music Education from the University of North Texas, and recently earned a master's degree in Percussion Performance at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His primary musical instructors include Dave Hall, Christopher Deane, Paul Rennick, Mark Ford, Ed Smith, Jose Aponte, and Poovalur Sriji. Ben has years of experience teaching percussionists of all ages and backgrounds, from elementary school to college music majors.

Ben was a part of the front ensembles at Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps (2014) and the Santa Clara Vanguard (2015-2017) where he earned the Fred Sanford award for High Percussion in 2016 and 2017. He has since taught at the Guardians Drum and Bugle Corps (2019-2021) and is now on the percussion staff at the Bluecoats, where he won the Fred Sanford award in 2022.

AUSTIN BYERS

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF BANDS

Austin Byers is in his first year as Assistant Director of Bands at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas, where he leads the marching band's visual program, directs the Symphonic Band, and assists all ensembles.

An Austin native, Mr. Byers graduated from Westwood High School and the University of Texas at Austin, earning his Bachelor of Music in Music Studies and a Certificate in Trombone Performance. He completed his student teaching at Westlake High School and Hill Country Middle School. He began his career in 2020 at Cypress Woods High School, serving as Associate Director of Bands until his return to Westlake. During his tenure, the Cypress Woods marching band was a consistent BOA Regional Finalist and 6A State Marching Contest participant and earned multiple UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Sweepstakes.

Mr. Byers has an extensive performing arts background spanning drum corps, winter guard, and professional dance. He marched baritone with the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps and aged out with Santa Clara Vanguard. He went on to perform with ORIGINS, an independent Austin winter guard, and spent a season with Chaddick Dance Theater, a professional modern dance company in Austin.

Beyond directing, Mr. Byers choreographs for band and winter guard programs across Texas. In recent years he has worked on the visual staff for both Crossmen and Santa Clara Vanguard and served as a choreographer for the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps and Breakdown Camp.

KAYSEY THOMPSON

DIRECTOR OF COLOR GUARD, ELITE VISUAL ENSEMBLE

Kaysey Leigh Thompson is an active choreographer and color guard instructor hailing originally from Boston, MA. Clients have included Carolina Crown, The Crossmen, The Madison Scouts, The Blue Knights, McNeil High School, Claudia Taylor Johnson High School, Origins Winterguard, Eklipse Winterguard, Paramount Winterguard, and Cedar Ridge High School, among others.

Kaysey began her dance and color guard training at 5 years old, performing with a local winterguard directed by her parents. In the years since, she has performed with several WGI and DCI groups including St. Ann’s World, SCV Winterguard, The Cadets, and The Crossmen. Along with color guard, Kaysey has an extensive background in stage and film. Kaysey spent 15 years touring and performing with Blast!, Shockwave, and Blast: MIX, Blast: The Music of Disney and has appeared in projects with Walt Disney Studios, NBC, and Fox Television. Following a record-breaking 2021-2022 season for the EVE programs, Ms. Thompson is currently representing Westlake HS on the Advisory Board for Winter Guard International.

Kaysey currently resides in Austin, TX. Since transitioning from a stage performer role, she holds a position on the choreographic and instructional team for Blast: The Music of Disney, in addition to acting as the Visual Ensemble supervisor.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

EXCELLENCE

The Westlake Band Program has received sustained recognition across marching band, concert band, orchestra, jazz, and color guard.

Three-time Texas State Honor Band
Recipient of both the Sudler Shield and Sudler Flag from the John Philip Sousa Foundation
Multiple top-ten finishes at the UIL State Marching Contest
Multiple qualifications for the UIL State Marching Contest
Consistent UIL Sweepstakes Awards in marching, concert performance, orchestra, and sight-reading
Numerous students selected for District, All-Region, Area, All-State, Region Orchestra, and Region Jazz ensembles
Numerous First Division Ratings at UIL Solo and Ensemble competitions
Performances at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, American Bandmasters Association Convention, World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles Conference, Carnegie Hall, and the Tournament of Roses Parade
Performances throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, and China
Jazz ensembles recognized for outstanding ensemble performance and individual musicianship
EVE Winter Guard teams have earned multiple state championships and regional victories
EVE Varsity has been ranked sixth in the world in its division in consecutive years
EVE JV and Cadet teams have consistently ranked among the top three teams in Texas

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